Walleye continue to find ways to win

12/24/2011

KALAMAZOO, Mich. -- The Toledo Walleye picked up their second road win in a row to move back into third place in the North Division as goaltender Thomas McCollum stopped 37 shots in a 2-1 victory over first-place Kalamazoo Friday night in front of 2,551 fans at Wings Stadium.

Kyle Rodgers and Gleason Fournier each tallied goals for the Walleye (12-13-0-1) who have won three of their last four contests since a 5-4 shootout loss to Kalamazoo at home in the Huntington Center on Dec. 11.

"This is very difficult place to play," said coach Nick Vitucci. "Our penalty kill unit was stellar in the second period stopping the number one power play unit in the league."

Rogers scored his seventh goal of the season with 21 seconds remaining in the first period while Fournier scored his second of the year with 3:05 left in the third period.

Joey Martin and BryanRufenach added assists on Fournier's goal.

Darren Archibald scored with 1:14 remaining to spoil the shutout McCollum had pitched for the first 58 minutes of the game.

Riley Gill stopped 25 shots for the Wings (16-10-0-2). The win pushes the Walleye to within nine points of first place Kalamazoo.

Neither team was successful on the power play. The Walleye was 0-for-4 while the Wings were 0-for-7 with the man advantage. Toledo stopped four Kalamazoo power play chances in the second period, including 47 seconds of a 5-on-3 advantage.

Also, the Walleye announced that forward Aaron Lewicki returned from his player tryout agreement with the Abbotsford Heat of the American Hockey League. In a separate move, the Walleye placed signed forward Anthony Iaquinto to a contract.

Iaquinto, a member of the 2011 Walleye training camp, has spent this season with Brooklyn in the Federal Hockey League, where he collected four goals, three assists, and 38 penalty minutes. He appeared in one game for the Walleye last year.